elen,
who was a little mortified by the unsparing criticism on her drawing.

'Yes, I undertook that we three should make up the two cushions for the
desk and eagle; Mrs. Webbe's hands are full of business already, but
she has explained it all to me, and Kate will understand it better than
I can.'

'I thought Sarah Webbe was to help,' said Helen.

'She is doing the carpet,' said Elizabeth. 'Oh! if you look so
lamentable about it, Helen, we do not want your help. Dora will sew
the seams very nicely, and enjoy the work too. I thought you might be
glad to turn your handiwork to some account.'

'Really, Lizzie,' said Helen, 'I shall be very glad to be useful, if
you want me. What shall I do?'

This was said in no gracious tone, and Elizabeth would not accept such
an offer of assistance. 'No, no; never mind,' said she, putting a
skein of crimson sewing-silk over Katherine's outstretched hands, and
standing with her back to Helen, who took up her pencil again in
silence, and made her black shadows much darker.

Elizabeth, who had not been of the walking party, and had thus heard of
all the arrangements which had been made that afternoon, went on
talking to Katherine. 'As soon as Church is over, the Bishop is coming
to luncheon here, and then to settle some business with Papa; then is
to be the school-children's feast--in the quadrangle, of course. Oh,
how delightful that will be! And Mamma and I have been settling that
we will have a little table for the smallest creatures, because the
elder sisters get no time to eat if they are attending to them, and if
the little ones are all together, everyone will come and help them.'

'The old women in the Alms-houses will,' said Katherine.

'Yes; and Dora will manage that nicely too, the table will not be too
high for her to reach, and she will be very happy to be able to wait on
her little class. And they are to have tea and cake, instead of
dinner, for we do not want to have more cooking than can be helped,
that people may not be prevented from going to church, and the children
will be thirsty after being in church all the morning.'

'But we have a dinner-party, do not we?' said Katherine.

'Yes, but our youth and innocence will save us from being much plagued
by it,' said Elizabeth.

'Oh! I thought you and Anne at least would dine with the company,'
said Katherine.

'So Mamma thought,' said Elizabeth; 'but then she recollected that if
we did, and not Harriet,